Review of The Gold Rush (1925) by Kevin N — 09 May 2009
A heartbreaker, a thrilling adventure, a work of comic genious. It's a totally unique work of art in which Chaplin poured every ounce of his heart and soul and the result is nothing short of stunning.
The Tramp stumbles into the far North in search of gold, but success can never come easily; life lessons, often tragic, come to this stranger in the form of love-sickness and loneliness, and we come to pity this poor character so much that every disappointment he faces hits us square in the gut as well.
Wonderfully colorful characters enter The Tramp's life as he makes his way through the treacherous snow- the men are always bigger, stronger and angrier than our little protagonist, and the women are hardly interested in little strangers with canes.
The film is a visual treat, every scene enshrouded in the blank white atmosphere; sight gags including bears, mobile cabins, man-sized chicken hallucinations and boot-meals are sprinkled evenly throughout.
Most special, though, is the amount of love Charlie brought to his character, a man who began as a simple comic dummy and over several decades became Chaplin's closest friend; the artist cares for his subject, and our emotional connection follows naturally.
The movie's aura is frigid cold, but The Tramp keeps us warm with a welcome ease.
This review of The Gold Rush (1925) was written by Kevin N on 09 May 2009.
The Gold Rush has generally received very positive reviews.
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